Onome Amuge
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has called on stockbrokers and other market intermediaries to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct as the regulator moves to deepen trust and transparency in the country’s capital markets.
Speaking at the 29th annual conference of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) in Abuja over the weekend, SEC Director-General Emomotimi Agama said investor confidence depends on the assurance that those who manage their wealth are guided by the highest standards of honesty and competence.
The conference, held under the theme “Capital Markets in a Digital, Ethical, Sustainable Era: Pathways for Economic Transformation,” focused on how technology, ethics, and sustainability are reshaping global finance. Agama said the theme was timely, describing it as a reflection of the new financial era in which digital innovation, ethical governance, and sustainable practices are increasingly intertwined.
“These three dimensions (digitalisation, ethics, and sustainability) are not separate pillars; they form the foundation of a modern, inclusive, and resilient capital market,” Agama said.
Across the world, financial markets are undergoing rapid transformation driven by advances in technology; from online trading platforms and digital assets to blockchain, artificial intelligence, and data analytics. Agama said the SEC views these shifts not as disruptions, but as opportunities to enhance market efficiency, investor protection, and regulatory oversight.
He noted that the Commission is already modernising its operations through automated surveillance systems, risk-based supervision, and digital process integration, measures he said are aimed at positioning the Nigerian capital market for the realities of a digital economy.
“We are actively engaging with stakeholders, including the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, to deepen digital literacy and build capacity across the market. As technology evolves, so must our skills, our ethics, and our shared commitment to fairness and professionalism,” he noted.
While embracing technological innovation, Agama warned that no level of digitisation can replace ethics as the foundation of a credible market. “A truly transformative capital market must be built on integrity, transparency, and accountability,” he said, calling ethics the non-negotiable bedrock of investor trust.
He commended the CIS for its long-standing role in setting professional standards and enforcing codes of conduct for stockbrokers, noting that the institute remains a key partner in the SEC’s efforts to raise the quality of market intermediation.
“Professionalism and ethical conduct are non-negotiable. Investors must have full confidence that the intermediaries who manage their wealth are guided by the highest standards of honesty and competence,” Agama said.
The SEC chief added that both institutions must work together to strengthen ethics education, continuous professional development, and disciplinary frameworks, ensuring that Nigeria’s capital market remains a place of trust and integrity.
